I will re-read your article(Why do I keep waking up at 2am – and how can I get back to sleep?, October 1), I too have constant insomnia and would spend tiny hours thinking about all sorts of real or imagined worries. Then on-demand radio changed my life. Your brain just can't process two things at once, and now I have a variety of shows to choose from that keep my attention and prevent anxiety from creeping in.
I'm still sleep deprived, but I'm enjoying the time spent listening to all the shows that I never have time to pay attention to during the day. And I often abandon the program again in the middle of the program without worrying about finding my “page” again, as is the case with an audiobook. It might be worth trying for others.
Gillian Greenfield
Haydon Bridge, Northumberland
Before artificial lighting became common, splitting up sleep patterns was the norm for young people. Sometimes, when some people needed to stay awake and alert, teenagers would get up early and go to bed late. The elderly went to bed and rose early to take the third watch. The young men worked average shifts, waking up after hours of sleep to be on duty in the middle of the night. Then they fell asleep again.
Real life is of course much more complex, but we still have natural biorhythms that change as we age. The answer is to follow your natural biorhythms rather than fight them.
Michael Peel
London
